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Vitamin B12
(cobalamin)
DRI (RDA
or AI for Adults)
- 2.4 mcg. Pregnancy: 2.6 mcg. Lactation: 2.8 mcg.
Adult Maintenance - Therapeutic Range
Major Sources (110 mcg to 1 mcg per serving)
- Beef liver, clams, veal liver, beef kidney, veal
kidney, turkey liver, oysters, chicken liver, beef heart, herring, crab,
trout, pollock, catfish, salmon, beef, lamb, tuna, shrimp, lowfat yogurt.
Vegans require supplement.
Non-Therapeutic Importance
- Involved in the metabolism of single-carbon fragments;
essential for biosynthesis of nucleic acids, nucleoproteins, and red blood cells; role in
metabolism of nervous tissue; involved with folate metabolism; related to growth.
Deficiency Symptoms
- Degeneration of peripheral nerves
- Glossitis
- Pernicious anemia
- Skin hypersensitivity
Increased Risk for Deficiency
- Alcoholism
- Celiac and tropical sprue
- Diverticulosis
- Ileitis
- Lack of intrinsic factor secretion: gastrectomy; destruction
of gastric mucosa
- Vegetarians
Possible Therapeutic Applications
CONSULT WITH A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL FIRST: Vitamin
B12 works with folic acid in reducing homocysteine, a risk factor for heart disease.
Supplementation may prevent, correct deficiencies caused by, or be helpful with,
the following conditions:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS, HIV)
- Aging
- Alcoholism
- Allergies (allergic rhinitis, hay fever)
- Anxiety
- Asthma
- Atherosclerosis (heart disease)
- Celiac Disease
- Cerebrovascular Disease (including stroke)
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS, CFIDS)
- Crohn's Disease
- Diabetes
- Eating Disorders (anorexia, bulimia)
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis
- Herpes Zoster (shingles)
- Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol)
- Immunodepression (immune function)
- Infection (colds, flu, etc.)
- Infertility (female)
- Infertility (male)
- Inflammation (including bursitis)
- Lupus (SLE)
- Memory Loss (Alzheimer's disease, dementia)
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Psoriasis
- Retinopathy
- Tinnitus
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